Russian is designated a critical language by the United States government. Russian is the seventh-most spoken language in the world and is among the six official languages of the United Nations. Russian speakers live not only in Russia, but in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states, and in Russian-speaking diasporas in the United States and throughout the world. Because Russian is so widely spoken in many countries throughout the world, it is an in-demand critical language for careers including government service, nongovernmental organizations, science and scholarship, and some business sectors.
Students in the Russian major not only learn the Russian language but read Russian literature in both Russian and English and become familiar with Russian film and visual arts, theater and performing arts, and music.
The Russian major is designed to meet the needs of students who begin to study the language in college as well as those who began to study the language in high school or who grew up speaking or hearing Russian at home.
Students in the major are able to speak Russian in everyday and some work situations, read and listen to Russian-language news and media, and write for daily, academic, and some professional purposes. In addition, they gain an appreciation and a deeper understanding of the variety of places and cultures in which Russian is spoken, and of politics and foreign policy, history, and world-renowned literary and artistic traditions.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Language: | 15 | |
| Third Year Russian I and Third Year Russian II | ||
| Russian Language and Culture I | ||
| Russian Language and Culture II | ||
| Fourth Year Russian I | ||
| Foundations in Russian Literature & Culture (complete three distinct courses): | ||
| Literature Survey (complete one): | 4 | |
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation I | ||
or LITTRANS 204 | Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation II | |
| Literature & Culture (complete two): | 6 | |
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation I | ||
or LITTRANS 203 | Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation I | |
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation II | ||
or LITTRANS 204 | Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation II | |
| Russian Life and Culture Through Literature and Art (to 1917) | ||
| Soviet Life and Culture Through Literature and Art (from 1917) | ||
| Capstone | ||
| SLAVIC 465 | Advanced Readings in Russian Literature & Culture | 3 |
| or SLAVIC 560 | Capstone Seminar in Russian Literature and Culture | |
| Electives | ||
| Intermediate or Advanced Elective (complete one): | 3 | |
| Study Abroad in Russian Area Studies | ||
| Study Abroad in Russian Topics | ||
| Intermediate Special Topics in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| History of Russian Culture | ||
| Contemporary Russian Culture | ||
| Advanced Special Topics in Slavic Languages and Literatures | ||
| Advanced Russian Listening & Speaking | ||
| Women in Russian Literature in Translation | ||
| Chekhov: The Drama of Modern Life | ||
| Russia's Greatest Enigma: Nikolai Gogol | ||
| Dostoevsky in Translation | ||
| Vladimir Nabokov: Russian and American Writings | ||
| Tolstoy in Translation | ||
| In Translation: Slavic Drama in Context | ||
| Additional Elective (complete one): | 3 | |
Any Intermediate or Advanced-level course from the list above, or: | ||
| Literature and Revolution | ||
| Performance and Power | ||
| Contemporary Russia: History, Politics, and Culture | ||
| Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey | ||
| Elementary Special Topics in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| Slavic Science Fiction through Literature and Film | ||
| Total Credits | 34 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- Minimum 2.000 GPA in all major courses
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the major, in residence
- At least 15 credits in the major, taken on campus
Upper-Level Courses in the Major
The following courses are upper-level in the Russian major:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Third Year Russian I | ||
| Third Year Russian II | ||
| Study Abroad in Russian Area Studies | ||
| Study Abroad in Russian Topics | ||
| Russian Language and Culture I | ||
| Russian Language and Culture II | ||
| Fourth Year Russian I | ||
| Fourth Year Russian II | ||
| Advanced Readings in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| Advanced Russian Listening & Speaking | ||
| Capstone Seminar in Russian Literature and Culture | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Directed Study | ||
| Women in Russian Literature in Translation | ||
| Chekhov: The Drama of Modern Life | ||
| Russia's Greatest Enigma: Nikolai Gogol | ||
| Dostoevsky in Translation | ||
| Vladimir Nabokov: Russian and American Writings | ||
| Tolstoy in Translation |
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Major in consultation with the Russian advisor.
To earn Honors in the Major, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA in all courses in the major
- Complete 18 credits in the major taken for Honors, taken on campus, with grades of B or better in the following:
- Complete a Senior Thesis in SLAVIC 681 and SLAVIC 682 for at least 6 credits
Learning Outcomes
- (Russian language proficiency) Develop speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills and integrate these skills to communicate in Russian in a variety of social situations.
- Develop and apply writing skills and oral communication skills appropriate to liberal arts education in the context of Slavic studies.
- Develop and apply critical thinking skills inherent in the liberal arts tradition in the context of Slavic studies.
- Analyze and interpret works of literature in themselves and in the context of specific historical and cultural conditions.
- Demonstrate insight into Russian culture and civilization and apply this knowledge across disciplines such as history, political science, the arts, geography, business, economics, sociology, the sciences, gender studies, philosophy, law, folklore.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SLAVIC 101 | 4 | SLAVIC 102 | 4 |
| LITTRANS 233 or 234 | 3 | LITTRANS 234 | 3 |
| Communication A | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning A | 3 |
| Science Breadth | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 13 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SLAVIC 203 | 4 | SLAVIC 204 | 4 |
| INTER-LS 210 | 1 | LITTRANS 202 or 204 (204 meets Comm B requirement) | 3 |
| LITTRANS 201 or 203 (203 meets Comm B requirement) | 3 | LITTRANS/GERMAN/JEWISH 279 (meets Ethnic Studies requirement) | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 3 | I/A COMP SCI, MATH, or STAT (if BS) | 4 |
| Biological Science Breadth | 3 | ||
| 14 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SLAVIC 275 (meets Humanities requirement) | 3 | SLAVIC 276 (meets Humanities requirement) | 3 |
| SLAVIC 315 | 3 | SLAVIC 316 | 3 |
| Physical Science Breadth | 3 | Science Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 5 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | ||
| 14 | 18 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SLAVIC 321 | 3 | Russian Capstone | 3 |
| Russian Elective | 3 | Russian Elective | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Electives | 7 | Electives | 6 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the German, Nordic, and Slavic+ website.
Any student with previous experience with the Russian language is required to take a placement test. These tests may admit a student to a more advanced course, but give no credit toward graduation. However, retroactive credits can be granted in recognition of previous language study (L&S Retro Credit Policy). The Placement Advisor for Russian is Anna Tumarkin. Please contact the undergraduate advisor to request placement.
Students might also want to consider the Russian Flagship Program, a federally funded intensive language-learning program open to students of all majors. The Flagship Program is a separate application and students can complete it in addition to the Russian major or may complete it alongside another major entirely.
For other undergraduate concerns, please contact the undergraduate advisor.
For advising on careers related to languages, talk with the Language Directions Specialist in the Language Institute.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students